Apparatus for processing web material



March 5, 1968 J, R. THYGESON, SR 3,371,427

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING WEB MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 INV ENTOR;

Way/4W R S N O 5 E G H T R N H 0 AT TVS.

March 5, 1968 J. R. THYGESON, SR 3,371,427

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING WEB MATERIAL Filed Sept. 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i FIGS 7 [Z 1\ 26 2- INVENTOR; 7 BY JOHN R. THYGESON SR.

WWW

ATTYS.

United States Patent Office ABSTRACT OF THE DESKILQSURE Apparatus for subjecting fabrics and similar webs to a gaseous-treating medium which affords freedom for shrinkage of the web during the treatment. The apparatus projects ribbons of gaseous medium against and substantially normal to the web both above and below the web at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the web so as to criss-cross above and below the web; in one form, the apparatus projects a series of ribbons angled to the right above the web and a corresponding series of ribbons angled to the left below the web; and in another form, the apparatus provides criss-cross intersecting ribbons both above and below the web.

The present invention relates to apparatus for processing web-like material by means of a gaseous treating medium, and has particular application to the processing of fabrics and similar webs wherein the treating medium is blown against and/or through a traveling web.

Apparatus of the stated type comprises a series of pressure boxes disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of the web through the apparatus, the boxes having nozzle portions with nozzle openings directed toward the web traveling therebetween so as to direct air or other gaseous treating medium against the web. The pressure boxes are spaced along the path of travel of the web so as to provide therebetween exhaust passageways for the discharge of a gaseous medium. When treating fabrics and similar porous webs, a portion of the gaseous medium impinging against the web is deflected in the reverse direction so as to return through the passageways between the pressure boxes from whence it came. The remaining portion of the gaseous medium passes through the web and returns through the exhaust passageways on the op posite side of the web. In order to conserve floor space, it is a common expedient to pass the web through the apparatus in a series of superposed horizontal runs and to effect treatment of theywebs along the length of each horizontal run. The web may be conveyed in its path between the pressure boxes by means of a conveyor means such as a series of girts or the like, or may be conveyed by being floated between films or cushions of treating medium underlying and overlying the web.

It has been common practice to dispose the nozzles on the upper and lower sides of the web path in longitudinal registry with one another and to direct the treating medium therethrough so as to cause the web to travel therebetween in a relatively quiescent state as it is subjected to treatment in the apparatus. However, with certain materials such as fabrics, it is desired to provide agitation or working of the fabric during its treatment. For example, such agitation orfworking of the fabric is especially desirable in fabrics made of stretch or bulk or other textured yarn in order to activate the textured characteristics of the yarn and impart to the fabric a fine hand.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for processing fabrics and similar webs in which the fabric is gently agitated or worked during the treatment by the gaseous medium.

3,371,427 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 More specifically, the present invention provides apparatus comprising opposed pressure boxes having elongated nozzle portions directing ribbons of air outwardly therefrom against the fabric, said ribbons being disposed at acute angles right-hand and left-hand to the longitudinal direction of travel of the web through the chamber, and the ribbons on opposite sides of the fabric being disposed so as to intersect at spaced locations in the path of the web traveling through the apparatus.

In one preferred form of the invention, the intersections of the upper and lower ribbons are disposed randomly over the path of travel of the webs so as to avoid concentration of said intersections on any particular area of the web being processed.

In accordance with the invention, the fabric processed in apparatus of the invention is subjected alternately to compressive forces of directly opposed air streams and billowing forces of air streams at only one side of the fabric so as to provide a gentle agitation of the fabric and working thereof by the oppositely-directed air streams.

All of the objects of the invention are more fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a multi-run drier embodying the present invention, with portions broken away to more clearly illustrate the internal structure thereof;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the drier shown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1, with portions broken away;

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged sectional views taken on the lines 44, 55, and 6- 6 respectively of FIG. 3, so as to illustrate the operation of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment of the invention, for example embodying a float drier;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a detached perspective view of a pressure box of the type set forth in FIGS. 7 and 8.

With reference to the drawings and particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 6- inclusive, the apparatus comprises a generally rectangular housing 11 through which web material W is passed in three runs or passes. In the present instance, the material is carried through the housing by conveyors 12 and 13. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conveyors comprise a series of rods or girts 15 interconnected at their ends and adapted to ride on tracks 16 and 17 adjacent opposite sidesof the housing 11. A web guide 18 is provided at the terminal end of the conveyor 12 to transfer the web material from the conveyor 12 to the conveyor 13. As shown by the arrows 19 in FIG. 1, the material is carried in its first pass to the right on the upper run of the conveyor 12 and at the end of the run, is transferred to the upper run of the conveyor 13 which carries the material in its second pass to the left. At the left hand end of the conveyor 13, the material is carried around the turning roll and is carried in its final pass by the lower run of the conveyor 13 to the right, and, in present instance, is deposited on an outfeed conveyor 14. In the illustrated form of the invention, as described more fully hereinafter, the material in the final pass is blown upwardly against the underside of the lower run of the conveyor 13.

In accordance with the conventional practice, air or other suitable treating medium is circulated through the housing 11 by a series of fans 21, driven in the present instance by motors 22, and operable to circulate air or other treating medium into a plenum chamber 24 along one side of the housing 11. Pressure bOXes 25 and 26 above and below respectively the path of travel of the web are open at one end to the plenum chamber 24. The openings into the pressure boxes 25 and 26 are controlled by dampers 27 and 28 respectively to regulate the flow of air into the pressure boxes. The pressure boxes 25 have nozzle portions providing elongated nozzle openings 29 along their lower surface, and the pressure boxes 26 have nozzle portions providing elongated openings 30 along their upper surface. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure boxes 25 and 26 taper gradually from the plenum chamber 24 toward the opposite wall of the housing 11 and the elongated nozzle openings 29 and 30 are provided with vertical partitions 31 and 32 operable, in the present instance, to cause the medium exhausted through the openings to flow perpendicularly against the fabric or other web material traveling on the conveyors.

The forces of medium blown against the upper and lower surfaces of the web respectively are regulated by the dampers 27 and 28 respectively to effect a gentle engagement of the material against the conveyors 12 and 13, as described above. In the first two passes, the air or other medium blown from the lower boXes 26 is insuflicient to support the weight of the web material on the upper runs of the conveyors 12 and 13, and the material is therefore carried along by the conveyors. In the final pass, the air from the lower boxes 26 overcomes the weight of the web material and blows it upwardly against the lower run of the conveyor 13. When the treatment is a drying treatment, it should be noted that the bulk of the moisture is removed from the material in the first two passes, leaving the material relatively dry and lightweight in the final pass.

The air or other treating medium is exhausted into the interior chamber 34 of the housing 11 intermediate the pressure boxes 25 and 26. The interior chamber 34 of the housing 11 is in fluid communication with the intake of the fans 21 through a suitable suction chamber 35 having conditioning means therein for modulating the condition of the treating medium. In the present instance, the conditioning means takes the form of a filter 36 and a bank of heating tubes 37. If desired, humidity-control apparatus may be incorporated in the suction chamber 35 and damper-controlled fresh-air inlet and exhaust ducts may also be provided in conventional manner. Thus, the air or other treating medium is continuously circulated through the housing 11 into contact with the fabric or other web carried by the conveyors 12 and 13.

In accordance with the invention, the pressure boxes and nozzle portions are arranged to effect a gentle agitation or Working of the web carried by the conveyors. To this end, the elongated nozzle openings 29 and 30 are disposed in a criss-cross array above and below the path of the web therebetween. As is apparent in FIG. 3, the criss-cross arrangement of the pressure boxes provides a series of points at which the upper and lower nozzle openings intersect or are in registry. Intermediate these points, the upper and lower nozzle openings 29 and 39 are out of registry.

FIG. illustrates the operation of the treating apparatus at the points where the nozzle openings are out of registry. As shown in this figure, the ribbons of air which are directed perpendicularly against the web, shown at W in FIGS. 5 and 6, are partially deflected by the web and exhausted from the same side of the web W through the spaces between the pressure boxes on that side of the web. In addition, a portion of the medium blown against the web is caused to flow through the web and is exhausted into the spaces between the pressure boxes on the opposite side of the web. Thus, in these areas, the fabric is subjected both to a flow of air against the surface which is deflected and to a flow of air through the fabric web. This treatment by the air effects a thorough treatment of the web throughout its cross section. The flow through the web in a direction away from the nozzle openings causes the web to billow or float away from the nozzle openings as indicated in FIG. 5. Since, as shown in this figure, the nozzle openings are disposed alternately above and below the web, there is an alternate upward and downward displacement force on the web causing the gentle working or agitation of the web during its travel through the housing 11.

At points where the nozzle outlets 29 and 30 are in vertical registry on opposite sides of the web, as shown in FIG. 6, substantially all of the air or other treatment medium blown against the web, is deflected back into the space on either side of the pressure box from which it was blown. The opposed currents of medium on opposite sides of the web hold the web against vertical displacement away from the conveyor, inasmuch as the forces above and below the web are substantially equalized. Thus, the forces from the ribbons of air or other treatment medium tend to compress the web without displacing it at the points of intersection.

The criss-cross array of nozzle openings forms a diamond pattern whose points of intersection are randomly arranged across the surface area of each run of the drier so that the points of intersection are not aligned either lengthwise or crosswise of the fabrics run. In the present instance, this is accomplished by slightly valying the spacing between the center lines of both the upper and the lower pressure boxes. The variable spacing interrupts the regular pattern of intersections so as to afford the random distribution of the intersections over the surfaces of the fabric in each run. A similar random arrangement may be obtained by varying the angles of the boxes. In this manner, every part of the fabric or other web being treated in the apparatus, is subjected to both billowing forces arising from the non-registry of the upper and lower nozzle openings and compressive forces arising from registry of the upper and lower nozzle openings at the aforesaid intersections. In this manner, the gentle agitation or working of the fabric web is assured over the entire surface thereof. This gentle working or agitation of the web is aided in some degree by the support of the web on the girts or rods 15 of the conveyors 12 and 13.

In float driers where it is desired to eliminate the use of mechanical conveyors, it is preferred to arrange the upper and lower nozzle openings in registry throughout so as to assist in the proper positioning of the web intermediate the nozzle openings. However, to obtain a limited degree of working of the web, the criss-cross arrangement is found desirable, and to this end, apparatus such as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 inclusive is preferred. In this embodiment of the invention, upper and lower pressure boxes 125 and 126 respectively, are disposed at approximately 45 to the direction of travel of the fabric or other web P through a housing 111. As shown in FIG. 7, the boxes 125 and 126 are directed generally to one another above and below the web, and to provide registry, each pressure box is provided with a series of branches 127 and 128 respectively, extending at substantially 90 to the box toward the side of the housing 111 which is opposite the plenum chamber 124. The boxes and 126 have nozzle portions defining elongated openings extending continuously along their length as indicated at 129 and and the branches 127 and 128 are likewise provided with nozzle portions forming elongated openings 131 and 132 respectively extending along their length and intersecting the nozzle openings 129 and 130 at their junction. The elongated openings are provided with partitions operable to cause the air or other medium to be projected perpendicularly against the web P.

In this manner, the web P traveling through the treating apparatus is subjected to opposed streams of air or other treating medium projected from the criss-cross array of nozzle openings perpendicularly against the web from above and below in a diamond pattern so as to exert a gentle compressive force upon the web and to thoroughly impregnate the web With the treating medium. In the spaces between the nozzle openings, the inward compressive pressure is relieved allowing a limited degree of working of the web so as to afford a thorough treatment of the web by the treating medium.

The nozzle openings above and below the web are designed to suspend the web intermediate the upper and lower nozzle openings at a generally equal spacing therebetween, and, if necessary, suitable damper controls may be provided in the pressure boxes to insure proper flotation of different weights of web material in the travel of the web through the treatment chamber 111. By arranging the upper and lower nozzle openings in registry substantially as shown, the forces upon the web by the treatment medium are in substantial equilibrium so as to maintain the web in proper position intermediate the upper and lower nozzle openings.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the present invention provides an apparatus for treating web material by gaseous treating medium wherein the web is subjected to a gentle agitation or working as it travels between the upper and lower pressure boxes. Such gentle agitation or working of the web provides a thorough and effective contact between the gaseous treating medium and the material in the web, and in the case of porous webs, provides for flow of the treating medium through the web as desired. Such treatment of fabric is especially desirable in fabrics composed of textured yarn wherein it is desired to activate the textured characteristics of the yarn after it has been woven or otherwise incorporated in the fabric web.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure, but changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating web material in running lengths with gaseous-treating medium comprising a series of elongated nozzle means at one side of the path of travel of the web material having nozzle openings confronting one surface-of the web material and extending transversely of the apparatus at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the web material therethrough and operable to direct ribbons of gaseous-treating medium against said one surface of the web material in a direction substantially normal thereto, a second series of elongated nozzle means at the opposite side of the path of travel of the web material having nozzle openings confronting the opposite surface of the web material and disposed transversely at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the web material therethrough and operable to direct ribbons of gaseous medium against said opposite surface of the web material traveling therethrough in a direction substantially normal thereto, said openings being arranged to dispose the ribbons in a criss-cross array and having at least portions of said first and second series in registry at points in the path of travel of the web material so as to effect impingement of gaseous-treating medium simultaneously against the opposite surfaces of said web material at said points and thus restrain the web against substantial displacement in a direction normal to the plane of the web, said criss-cross array projecting said gaseous-treating medium against said surfaces in a diamond pattern.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to effect travel of said web in at least one horizontal run therethrough, said first series being disposed above said run, and said second series being disposed below said run.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said upper and lower series are disposed at substantially ninety degrees to one another.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 'wherein said points of registry of said upper and lower series of nozzle openings are disposed randomly across each run.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a conveyor for said web material intermediate said nozzle means, said conveyor comprising a chain of rods or girts supporting said web in its path of travel through the apparatus.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said nozzle openings of said upper and lower series are out of registry intermediate said points of registry so as to effect billowing of said web away from said nozzle openings intermediate said points of registry, said criss-cross array effecting billowing of said web alternately upwardly and downwardly along its path of travel in each run.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said upper and lower series of nozzle openings are each provided with branch openings extending ninety degrees therefrom so as to parallel the nozzle openings of the opposite series, said nozzle openings and branch openings providing a criss-cross array of openings in a substantial diamond pattern on each side of the path of travel of the web.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said opposite series of openings and branch openings are in registry throughout so as to confine the web intermediate said openings by opposed ribbons of treating medium in alignment with each other.

9. In apparatus for treating web material in running lengths with gaseous-treating medium, upper and lower pressure boxes for said medium defining therebetween a path of travel for the web material, nozzle portions in said boxes defining elongated nozzle openings confronting said path, means to exhaust said medium from said web material intermediate said nozzle portions, said upper and lower nozzle openings being disposed at oppositely directed acute angles to the direction of travel of said web material in said path whereby, upon flow of air through said pressure boxes and out of said openings, oppositely oriented ribbons of medium are blown against the Web material in directions substantially normal to the surfaces thereof, said ribbons crossing each other at a point so as to exert compressive forces on said web material therebetween at said point and thus restrain the web against substantial displacement in a direction normal to the plane of the web at said point, said web, upon passage beyond said point and out of registry with said nozzle openings being relieved of any forces of the gaseous-treating medium to afford a degree of working of the web.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including a branch extending from each of said upper and lower boxes at said point, each branch having a nozzle portion defining an elongated nozzle opening registering with the nozzle opening of the other pressure box so as to provide a ribbon of air confronting the ribbon of air flowing from the latter nozzle opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,419,534 6/1922 Barber 34-159 2,152,238 3/1939 Bridges 34159 2,621,422 12/1952 Deck 34-158 2,682,116 6/1954 Dungler 3423 2,916,796 12/1959 Sibel 2660 2,952,078 9/1960 Litzler 34-159 X FREDERICK L. MA'ITESON, 1a., Primary Examiner. C. R. R'EMKE, Assistant Examiner. 

